HÀ NỘI — A new book breathes life into Đồng Xuân Market, tracing its 135-year history and celebrating the people, culture and stories that have made Hà Nội’s iconic market a living landmark.

Titled Chợ Đồng Xuân – Không Gian Ký Ức (Đồng Xuân Market – Memories of Bygone Time), the publication is the result of collaboration between the National Archives Centre No 1 and Đồng Xuân Corp.

It also represents the culmination of invaluable contributions from scholars, cultural experts, journalists, architects, photographers and all those who love Hà Nội and have been deeply connected to the market.

Speaking at the launch, chairman of Đồng Xuân Corp Nguyễn Song Tùng said the event holds significance not only for the company but also for the people of the capital and readers across the country and beyond.

Having endured nearly 135 years since its establishment, Đồng Xuân Market has survived numerous historical upheavals and continues to thrive today. The market is not only one of the most bustling commercial centres in Hà Nội but also a cultural and historical symbol, deeply intertwined with the urban memories of the city’s residents.

“The publication of Đồng Xuân Market – Memories of Bygone Time aims to preserve, systematise and disseminate valuable materials about Hà Nội’s history, culture and people. It affirms the unique position and role of the market in the socio-economic life of the capital,” Tùng said.

“At the same time, it nurtures pride, cultivates identity and promotes the image of Hà Nội — a city with a thousand years of civilisation, culture and modernity.”

He noted that the book is not just a collection of documents and images, but also a vibrant diary chronicling the market’s journey — a place where the past, present and future intersect.

“We believe this book will become a valuable research resource, a travel guide, and a contribution to the celebration of the 18th Congress of the City Party Committee, as well as a cultural gift for friends both domestic and international.”

Director of the National Archives Centre I, Trần Thị Mai Hương, said the editorial board devoted considerable effort to studying historical documents on the market’s formation, cultural and socio-economic events, as well as maps and illustrations from various periods of Đồng Xuân Market.

The publication also draws on meticulous research of valuable records detailing traditional cultural and festival events in the area, as well as images and paintings depicting unique cultural and religious activities. It includes management statistics on the population, commercial activities, advertising posters and more, all preserved over time without losing their distinct character.

The editorial board also examined extensive architectural planning materials, including maps and overall layout diagrams of the Đồng Xuân area from the colonial period. This includes connections to contemporary structures such as Long Biên Bridge, as well as diagrams of modern cultural buildings like temples and pagodas.

Đồng Xuân Market – Memories of Bygone Time is published in both English and Vietnamese. The 250-page book is divided into two main sections — 'Đồng Xuân Market Before 1954' and 'Đồng Xuân Market After 1954' — and is illustrated with a rich collection of photographs and technical drawings of landmarks across various historical phases.

“It is the result of an admirable collaboration between Đồng Xuân Corp and the National Archives Centre I, contributing meaningfully to the preservation and promotion of heritage in its many dimensions,” writes historian Dương Trung Quốc in the book’s introduction.

The book launch also coincided with an exhibition of documents, images and maps tracing Đồng Xuân Market through different historical periods at the Centre for Cultural and Artistic Activities, No 22 Hàng Buồm Street. The exhibition provides the public and visitors with an opportunity to experience traditional values alongside modern influences

Symbolic landmark 

Đồng Xuân Market was built in 1889 during the French colonial period to replace the ancient Kẻ Chợ markets and to reorganise the flow of trade that had spontaneously developed over the centuries.

"If one imagines the tramway lines running from Hàng Giấy – Đồng Xuân – Hàng Đường – Hàng Ngang – Hàng Đào to Hoàn Kiếm Lake as the windpipe, then the flanking commercial streets resemble lungs, and Đồng Xuân Market sits exactly where the heart would be, beating life into the city’s commercial vitality," wrote historian Dương Trung Quốc.

Đồng Xuân has not only borne witness to fierce battles but has also endured major upheavals and turbulent shifts in domestic and international trade. These transformations demanded sweeping changes in infrastructure and business models for the capital’s central market.

"And yet, in all circumstances, Đồng Xuân Market has remained a symbol of continuity and renewal, carrying forward over a thousand years of history inseparable from the cultural and spiritual identity of Kẻ Chợ – Thăng Long – Hà Nội," he added.

According to journalist and author Trần Hữu Phúc Tiến, the century-old Đồng Xuân Market is not merely an architectural landmark but a living symbol of Hà Nội’s entrepreneurial spirit and street culture.

“Here, countless small traders have together nurtured the bustling rhythm of commerce, shaping the unique character of the Old Quarter.

“Every stall, every shop, is a piece of the ‘common cause,' deserving recognition and gratitude within the continuous flow of history and community memory,” he wrote. — VNS